God Of War: The 10 Scariest Monsters In The Franchise

With inspiration drawn from some of the richest sources of mythology in history, the God of War series earned a reputation for gruesome and over-the-top monster design that brought next-gen console horror to these classical creatures. The franchise’s enemies employ a brand-unique aesthetic that meaningfully draws upon history while featuring overall design and combat experience that players find bone-chilling.

While there’s no creature in the series that isn’t horrific in one way or another, there are some that go beyond aesthetic scariness and provide frightful challenges that make players truly feel like they’re facing off against immortal gods and demons. Gamers shouldn’t miss the God of War series and its memorable monsters this Halloween.

10 The Kraken (God of War 2)

Classically depicted as a cephalopod of colossal proportions, God of War 2 employs a unique anthropomorphized depiction of this mythological monster inspired by the Hollywood horror classic The Creature From the Black Lagoon.

This version of the Kraken has an ogre-like face and a gaping maw that gnashes at players in between swings from its spiked tentacles. The enormous scope of this abyssal boss has inspired thalassophobia in gamers for years, and it can’t be left off a list of scariest creatures in God of War.

9 Callisto (God of War: Ghost of Sparta)

The sixth installment of the God of War series features Kratos’ search for his long-lost family members. He finds his mother, Callisto, in Atlantis, and in one of the game’s only true scares, she transforms into a horrific and hostile monster, leaving Kratos with no choice but to fight her.

In addition to the raw fright value of the creature’s design, the abstract concept of the fight — a son fighting his mother to the death — summons unsettling thematic implications that give a rare and disturbing insight into the Freudian depths of Kratos’ mind. Terrifying, brutal, and, in some ways, tragic, this fight is eminently memorable while contributing to reasons why Kratos can be considered a villain.

8 Siren Seductress (God of War 1, 2, 3)

Disguised as beautiful women, Sirens are actually monstrous demons that lure unsuspecting warriors to their demise with a seductive song. Beneath their long flowing hair, they possess horrifically monstrous faces dominated by unhinged fang-filled jaws. They are magic casters in the God of War franchise, using the unholy arts to hurl lightning and summon more enemies to attack the player.

In 2018’s God of War, Kratos tells Atreus a particularly scary story about this enemy. Sailors on his ship became convinced that the deadly Sirens were the female members of their families at home, luring their prey with hope rather than lust. This chilling anecdote has the rare quality of elevating the mythology behind God of War’s monsters and helps rank the Sirens among the most unsettling enemies in the game.

7 Nightmare (God of War, 2018)

Represented as an enormous tentacled eyeball that would look at home in a Lovecraftian-styled game like Bloodborne, these primordial beings have the unique ability to take command of surrounding enemies.

Individually, the Nightmares themselves are not very strong, but in the cramped quarters of Midgard’s many cave systems, two or three can quickly overwhelm even skilled players. These eldritch abominations can also spew acid from a distance, meaning players must remain hypervigilant whenever they enter Nightmares territory.

6 Hades (God of War 3)

One of few recurring characters in the Greek saga of the God of War franchise, the titanic god of the Underworld, Hades, towers above many series enemies. Though his first appearance in 2005’s God of War was as Karatos’ ally, by the time the two meet in God of War 3, Kratos’ rampage through Olympus has earned him the top place on Hades’ long list of enemies. 

Thorns cover his skin like sores and he wears a glowing horned helm that obscures the twisted skull beneath. The battle with this god is gruesome in series fashion, and it’s utterly unnerving to hear Hades bear Kratos’ dismembering attacks with glee. Though he doesn’t make the list for the coolest villains in God of War, Hades’s chilling design and hair-raising encounters are worthy of more appreciation as a horror-styled action-adventure boss.

5 Cronos (God of War 3)

Cronos is utterly terrifying in scope, and director Stig Asmussen frames the encounter to authentically capture the nightmarish enormity of this titan. The first moment of this battle, in which Kratos uses his superhuman strength to prevent himself from being crushed between the giant’s fingers, is one of the franchise’s most cinematic moments and sets the pace for a heart-pounding quick time event-driven fight.

Across the encounter, players must cleave through enemies and Cronos’ boils as they scale his body for a face-to-face confrontation. In the background, the titan looms like a distant mountain range as he waits for an opportunity to strike, creating a constant feeling of dread befitting this titanic boss.

4 Svartáljǫfurr (God of War, 2018)

Terrifying in his own right, the fight with Svartáljǫfurr is made all the more frightening by its occurrence in semi-darkness. Nimble and powerful, the king of Dark Elves darts in and out of the shadows with the ease of the bats that inspire his imposing armor.

During the second phase of his fight, Svartáljǫfurr unfurls his membranous wings and chases Kratos and Atreus through the catacombs of Alfheim. It’s a haunting experience that’s unlike any other in 2018’s God of War.

3 Charon (God of War: Chains of Olympus)

2008’s God of War installment debuted on the PlayStation Portable and defied expectations as a meaningful entry into the series on par with its console counterparts. One of the reasons for this is Chains of Olympus’ terrifying multi-encounter boss Charon, the ferryman from classical Greek mythology who rows the souls of the departed across the River Styx.

He wears a belt of human heads around his bony waist and a golden mask floats before his decaying ghoulish face in one of the most inspired and scary visual designs in the game. This frightful foe also bears the rare distinction of being one of four enemies who have canonically beaten Kratos in combat and ranks among one of the hardest bosses in the God of War franchise.

2 Death Eater (God of War, 2018)

At first glance, the Death Eater seems to be nothing more than a reskin of the troll minibosses scattered around Midgard. Players should not be deceived, however, as this towering enemy represents a far greater challenge with far more speed, strength, and health than its smaller counterparts.

This optional encounter is more challenging than many of the game’s main bosses, requiring flawless combat in the wake of this monster’s terrifying attacks. The Death Eater is such a force in combat that it earns the singular distinction among troll enemies of having a death cinematic in which Kratos uses the troll’s own stone cudgel to deliver a devastating final blow. It’s a horrifying moment but a suiting conclusion to one of the game’s scariest encounters.

1 Sigrún (God of War, 2018)

This frightening optional boss represents one of the most significant challenges in the game, if not the entire franchise. Before facing the Queen of Valkyries, Kratos and Atreus must defeat each of her eight sisters in what is arguably the best side quest in the God of War series.

Sigrún then arrives in one of God of War’s few genuine scares, appearing without warning from a magical rift and easily trouncing Kratos. Just as fierce and fast as her winged armor suggests, the Valkyrie Regent regularly launches vision-obscuring defensive moves, popping up behind players when they least expect it. It’s a hair-raising encounter not to be taken lightly by veterans of the series and newcomers alike.

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